Sophie Lamb's Florida run ends in quarter-finals
 
Sophie Lamb, the 17-year-old No. 4 seed from Clitheroe Golf Club, Lancashire, lost by one hole today in the quarter-finals of this week's Florida Orange Blossom Tour for lady amateurs, the Jones-Doherty Challenge Cup match-play tournament, at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale, writes Colin Farquharson

Sophie, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, making only her second trip to America, was beaten by one hole by Janie Freedman, the No 12 qualifier.
 Sophie's dad Phil reports: "Sophie was three down at the turn but pulled back to all square before losing the 17th. A halved 18th meant this great experience was all over for this year. We will be back!
"She was naturally disappointed but the signs are positive for a good 2015."
They sure are, Phil! Definitely a Vagliano Trophy team contender for the June match against the Continent of Europe at Malone Golf Club, Belfastm, I would think. 
Sophie's conqueror will meet Mika Liu, the No 9 seed, in Friday's semi-fnals. Mika toppled the No 1 qualifier, Samantha Smollen, a student at Lynn University, Boca Raton, by 2 and 1 in their quarter-final.
The top three remaining seeds were all beaten in the round of the last eight - Lamb, Smollen and No 3 seed Rinko Mitsunaga who lost by 3 and 2 to the No 6 seed Gina Clark.
Gina will play the No 7 seed, Tara Joy Connolly, a 4 and 3 conqueror of the No 18 qualifier, Juilia Matzat, in the last of the quarter-finals.
QUARTER-FINALS
Mika Liu (9) bt Samantha Smollen (1) 2 and 1.
Janie Freedman (12) bt Sophie Lamb (4) 1 hole.
Tara Joy Connelly (7) bt Julia Matzat (18) 4 and 3.
Gina Clark (6) bt Rinko Mitsunaga (3) 3 and 2.
FRIDAY SEMI-FINALS
Liu v Freedman
Connelly v Clark 
THURSDAY REPORT FROM
THE FORT LAUDERDALE SUN SENTINEL
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After winning her first two matches by big margins, Mika Liu had all she could handle Thursday in the 83rd Ione D. Jones/Doherty Women's Amateur Championship.
The ninth-seeded Liu defeated top seed Samantha Smolen 2 and 1 to advance to Friday's semi-final round at Coral Ridge Country Club. She will meet Jamie Freedman, who knocked off Sophie Lamb 1 up.
In the other quarter-final matches, Tara Joy-Connelly defeated Julia Matzat 6 and 5 and Gina Clark beat Rinko Mitsunaga 3 and 2.
"She was my most challenging opponent so far," said Liu, 15, of Smolen, who plays for two-time national champion Lynn University. "I really enjoyed my match with her because she was challenging me every hole."
Smolen, 21, of Lake Worth, went 1 up on the third hole, but Liu birdied the par-5 4th to even the match. She won the 6th with a par to Smolen's bogey to go 1 up, but Smolen tied the match with a birdie at the par-5 7th.
The match remained all square until the par-5 13th, which Liu birdied, and she parred the 15th to go 2 up.
Smolen came back with a birdie at the par-3 16th, but Liu closed out the match with a par on the 17th.
"I did a two-putt and she missed a 5-footer for par that lipped out," Liu said. "Every single hole was a struggle. I was thinking it was a tug of war."
If there was a turning point, Liu said it might have been her putt to save par on the 8th hole when Smolen appeared to have the advantage and momentum.
Both players hit their tee shots over the green of the par 3. Smolen chipped to within two feet and Liu's chip ran 15 feet past the hole, but Liu made the putt. She also made just about every putt under 10 feet.
"Every short putt I needed to make, I made," said Liu, who spends the school year in Bradenton, Florida at the IMG Academy and spends the summer at home in California.
She played in the Doherty as a 12-year-old in 2012, advancing to the quarter-finals. The next year, she lost in the final. Liu did not play here last year.
"The course is getting back to me," said Liu, who won her first match 9 and 7 and her second 6 and 4. "I like amateur tournaments. You get to ride in a cart and play against older players and they're friendly."
Joy-Connelly, of Palm Beach Gardens, said it took her a few holes to find her rhythm, but once she did, she built a comfortable lead over Matzat, 15, of Parkland.
"I was a little off coming out of the gate," Joy-Connelly said. "I was kind of getting into the match and said, 'OK, you've got to focus here and buckle down.' It took me four holes to really start playing."
The match was all square after four holes, then Joy-Connelly won four of the next five, birdieing the 9th hole to go 4 up. A birdie at 10 put her 5 up, and they halved 11 and 12.
The match ended on 13 when Joy-Connelly hit her approach to 4 feet and Matzat needed to chip in to keep the match going.
Defending senior champion and top seed Andrea Kraus of Baltimore defeated Diane Lang of Weston 5 and 3 in the quarter-finals. Kraus plays Tama Caldabaugh of Ponte Vedra Beach, who beat Sue McMurdy of Indiana, Pennsylvania 4 and 3.
In the other semi-final, low medallist Lisa Schlesinger of Laytonsville, Md., plays Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples, Florida. Both were 2 and 1 winners Thursday.
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